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Is it possible that Dale Jr. just isn't an elite NASCAR driver?

Discussion in 'Sports and News' started by Double Down, May 29, 2009.

  1. Double J

    Double J Active Member

    Mark Martin.

    A stellar career by any standard, plenty of wins/hit records, consistency and longetivity, always to be remembered among the all-time greats - but always in the shadow of someone just a little more flashy.
     
  2. Shoeless Joe

    Shoeless Joe Active Member

    I blame that move for ultimately ruining the sport by leading it down a dark path away from its roots. While post movie NASCAR is rich beyond compare, its soul was sold to the devil.
     
  3. Double J

    Double J Active Member

    Really? Many would argue NASCAR was the spawn of the devil right from the word go.

    [​IMG]
     
  4. 2muchcoffeeman

    2muchcoffeeman Well-Known Member

    There's a running NASCAR thread. ;)

    If Earnhardt Jr. suddenly starts producing again with McGrew on top of the toolbox, then Eury Jr. was clearly the problem. Given that Earnhardt Jr. posted a shitload of wins with Tony Eury Sr. as his crew chief and Eury Jr. as the car chief taking orders from his father, it's entirely possible that Eury Jr.-as-crew-chief was the problem.

    Here's something I just stole from ESPN (once I figured out where it was because the geniuses in Bristol have somehow foolishly concluded that NASCAR coverage should be separated from all the other motorsports coverage):

    Dale Earnhardt Jr. has driven for five crew chiefs in his NASCAR career, with Tony Eury Sr. and Tony Eury Jr. calling the majority of those races. His best season came under Eury Sr. in 2004 with six wins, including the Daytona 500. Here's how Junior has fared under each:

    [table]
    [tr]
    [td]Crew chief, seasons[/td]
    [td]Races[/td]
    [td]Top 5s (wins)[/td]
    [/tr]
    [tr]
    [td]Tony Eury Sr., 1999-2004[/td]
    [td]183[/td]
    [td]52 (15)[/td]
    [/tr]
    [tr]
    [td]Pete Rondeau, 2005[/td]
    [td]12[/td]
    [td]3 (0)[/td]
    [/tr]
    [tr]
    [td]Steve Hmiel, 2005[/td]
    [td]14[/td]
    [td]2 (1)[/td]
    [/tr]
    [tr]
    [td]Tony Eury, Jr., 2005-2009[/td]
    [td]118[/td]
    [td]28 (2)[/td]
    [/tr]
    [tr]
    [td]Tony Gibson, 2007[/td]
    [td]12[/td]
    [td]2 (0)[/td]
    [/tr]
    [/table]

    In retrospect, Tony Eury Sr. should get a helluva lot more credit for his ability to call a race.

    Damn. After dropping that bomb, Shoeless Joe has clearly earned a pair of nice shoes. :D
     
  5. lono

    lono Active Member

    Free ride?

    Are you on drugs?

    Do you have any idea how much money Junior brings in to the team in terms of sponsors, endorsements, souvenir sales and related merchandise?

    Junior could run 43rd every week and still more than pay his way.
     
  6. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    Therein lies some of the problem, I think. Of course he's always been a marketing machine and cash cow, but over the last few years it really has seemed to spiral out of control. That's not a bad thing for him (ka-ching), but I can't be convinced it doesn't take just the slightest bit of edge out of him in the seat. Not saying he doesn't want to win, but I don't think he needs to win with every fiber of his body. Busch does. Smoke does. Johnson and Gordon still do.

    That's my 2-cent pop psychology. Only way I can figure a guy who won 15 times in his first five years but has three wins in the last 4+ since. That and the restrictor-plate deals and such that IJAG laid out.
     
  7. Rockbottom

    Rockbottom Well-Known Member

    Kyle Petty also finished 43rd all those years on daddy's dime/name/rep.

    Junior is better than Kyle. Now, is he better than Adam Petty coulda been?

    RB
     
  8. i am a fan of pops eury on the pit box. he does a good job of calling a race, calming down a driver. i listened on the radio a few weeks ago during the nationwide series race at richmond. brad keselowski was fussing a bit toward the end when the cautions were piling up, and pops kept his cool. granted that's a different beast than the cup series, but i still think it's indicative of his ability to rein in a driver. i think the pops is underrated, but that's just me.

    junior's 2004 resume included wins at daytona, atlanta, richmond, bristol, talladega and phoenix. that's a pretty diverse list of tracks. also helps that dei had plate motors figured out at that time, of course.
     
  9. playthrough

    playthrough Moderator Staff Member

    Sheesh, who knows, RB. One of the great, sad, unanswerable questions.

    Me and some folks were talking at Indy earlier this month about what Greg Moore would have done in the 500.
     
  10. novelist_wannabe

    novelist_wannabe Well-Known Member

    It's more than possible. It's a lead-pipe cinch.
     
  11. DanOregon

    DanOregon Well-Known Member

    I just meant that Hendrick is going to be more "involved" with his team. I get the impression that Junior had a lot of the say in his team, I don't think that will be the case as much now.
     
  12. Petrie

    Petrie Guest

    This one :D

    (Thanks for inspiring a much-needed avatar makeover, by the way...)
     
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